Fernweh
by Ardent Ursus
Summary: Set in the Swaggerverse, a young man and woman set out to test themselves against the world. Introducing Wodan, Flora, and their pokemon. These characters will likely be incorporated into an RP on Gaia. My first attempt at proper fanfic, so bear with me. Currently completed: prologue. PEACH.
1. Chapter 1 - From the Glittering Beacon

"You're not planning on trouble, are you?"

The barkeeper was slender and well-dressed. He seemed amusingly out-of-place in his own bar. His beard was substantial, yet immaculately groomed. There was classiness and regality in how he held himself, as if he took pride in his work and appearance. Most wouldn't in a place like this, a dive bar serving criminals with a thirst for blood and booze alike. Victor, they called him. His business was an illegitimate underground (literally) bar that catered to patrons of the illicit activities here. Heavy traffic and sub par real-estate had contributed to a very battered appearance for the entirety of the bar. The dim lights hardly penetrated the haze, a mix of smoke, dust, and steam. Many of the furnishings appeared newer, being mismatched replacements for pieces that were destroyed in some scuffle or other. There had been plenty of those over the years. Victor rubbed the inside of a glass with a worn rag, arching an eyebrow at the stranger on the other side of his counter. The subject of his scrutiny was a sandy-haired man on a stool near the center of the counter. Victor had served the unfamiliar face three double-shots of Cinnabar Cinnamon and the guy hadn't said a word. Victor had been serving people a long time . . . he knew all about drunks. There were your happy drunks, your sad drunks, your angry drunks. . . but it was the quiet drunks that he had learned to watch most closely. Sandy hadn't given any sign of how drunk he was, but Victor knew better. Nobody held their liquor _that_ well.

"Brother! Another. . . please," Sandy's voice caught slightly as he pushed the empty glass across the counter. The remaining ice clinked together softly, settling further down in the rocks glass. Victor considered the request carefully, scratching his beard for just a moment. He had become a bartender because he liked people. The faces that passed through his bar all had stories, histories, tales to tell. Sometimes he fancied himself an archivist of sorts.

"Pay for the others before, and tell me a story after."

Sandy glanced around the room. There was a big-ticket brawl in the largest hall, so they had little company. Aside from Victor and 'Sandy', there was only an older gentleman in an expensive suit that didn't seem to want to bother anyone. Satisfied, the stranger dug a wad of crumpled bills from the pocket of a threadbare, overlarge coat and handed them over to the bartender. The quiet, clean-shaven stranger took two sips of his reward before beginning.

* * *

"Aw, look! Little Wody finally got a pokemon!"

"Shut up, Flora,"

'Little Wody' was hauling himself up the winding path through the jagged rocks. A small black and grey canine bounced happily behind him, pausing occasionally to sniff at the underside of nearby rubble. The beach here was a jumble of boulders and gravel, serving to buffer the crash of waves rather than be a sandy playground for the townsfolk and tourists. Glitter Lighthouse towered above them, a colossus of hewn stone and peeling, faded blue accents. Flora and her teddiursa watched Wodan approach, seated on the stoop in front of the lighthouse's only door. Her raven hair was in a loose ponytail, a dark contrast to the white tank top she wore with her jeans. The boy wore a similar outfit, opting for a pair of khaki shorts in lieu of jeans. His pale blond hair was almost as long as Flora's. It his family's tradition not to cut one's hair until one was a true man or woman. It was a silly tradition, he had always thought, and in his more rebellious moods he had often considered just cutting it, but something had always stayed his hand. Today it was in a braid down his back and over the duffel bag he carried. The bag held everything he or his mother had thought essential to his survival on this trip, and a few sentimental artifacts he couldn't bear to part with. He wasn't at all surprised to note that Flora's satchel between her feet was half the size of his own bag.

"I still don't know why we needed to meet _here, _instead of at your house or something."

"Look," Flora commanded, pointing away from the lighthouse. She gestured back the way Wodan had come. Olivine City sat nestled in the hills. They could see a handful of the more expensive homes near the waterfront, and the broad roof of the café that was prosperous from catering to sailors, tourists, and townies alike. "Look at how _small _our home is, and how big the world is. I'm going to see what else is out there . . . and you're coming with me."

"Oh, that's a surprise," Flora's mildly dramatic statement of intent only evoked a sarcastic response from her young friend. "I thought I packed all my belongings just for a picnic."

Flora rolled her eyes and stood up, brushing dirt and pebbles from the seat of her pants as she did so. She crouched down and took a closer look at Wodan's poochyena, tapping her chin with a finger. Soon, a mischievous smile sat on her pale lips.

"Hey, since we'll be travelling adventurers, how about a practice battle?"

"Aw, that's not fair. You've had Kuma for a while now!"

"What's the matter? You afraid?"

Well, that sealed it. The two teens were friends of many years, and there was always a mild rivalry between them. Flora had often gotten the best of him, thanks to the two-year edge she had, but that never stopped Wodan from picking up the gauntlet.

"Grimfang, come here! Go show Kuma what a real fighter does!"

"Pfft, 'Grimfang'? Really?" Flora's smile widened, but as the poochyena gave a fierce little howl, she realized she had to respond. "Kuma, give him a good licking!"

The dark puppy bowled into the small ursine creature, landing atop him, tail wagging happily. Squirming, the teddiursa's broad tongue left a slick smear in the charcoal fur, but the dog ignored the attack as it barked playfully at his rival. Failing to throw off his attacker, the teddiursa attempted to wriggle free again. Failing, he made a pass at Grimfang's muzzle, his sharp little claws leaving a trio of shallow cuts on the black snout. With a short yelp of pain and surprise, Grimfang relented and hopped off of his opponent. Just like that, it was over. The two were still too young for an earnest battle between them.

"That's plenty, guys." Flora scratched the top of her pokemon's furry brown head as he got up. "You've got some fight there with him, Wodan. He'll be a ferocious guard some day."

"Thanks," the young man grinned, proud of his little victory. Unzipping his bag, he retrieved a bag of treats and offered one to his champion. The poochyena ignored Wodan's attempt to reward him with an ear scratch, deciding to chew on the meaty nugget that had been given to him. "We should get going, though."

"Yeah, I guess I want to get to Ecruteak tomorrow and Goldenrod the day after. The miltank ranchers should put us up tonight, but we may have to sleep at the National Park between Ecruteak and Goldenrod," Flora put a hand to her chin and cracked her neck, not oblivious to the likelihood that Wodan wouldn't remember any of the itinerary.

Then they were off, walking down the main avenue of their hometown towards the city limits. They passed all of Olivine's great landmarks: the newly renovated marina, the struggling pokemart, the swanky new restaurant that had opened on the boardwalk. They paused for a moment in front of the gym. It was an old building, but Jasmine had always done a good job of keeping it standing against the ravages of the briny wind. They had never been inside, children such as them with only one pokemon would be out of place, and their parents had often warned them against being trouble for the Leader. After a minute, they carried on, discussing their plans for the months, perhaps years ahead. The houses grew more scattered as they walked, until the homes disappeared along with the picket fences that marked the town's perimeter. Their journey had begun.


	2. Chapter 2 - Upon the Silver Mountain

"Let's go to Mount Silver!" Wodan announced, slamming his bowl down. He was staring ahead, as if he could see the infamous crag in the brick wall of the shop.

"Eh? Why?" Flora continued to wolf down her noodles, paid for by Kuma's scavenging.

"I want to catch a strong pokemon and I read in _Pokemania_ that's where all the strong ones are!"

"But Wodan, Mount Silver will be there when we get back. I thought we'd head west and see Kanto."

"Come on, just for a day or two? Between the two of us, I'm sure we can find something really strong."

Fiona wiped a trail of broth from her chin and made a show of careful consideration. Wodan squirmed with his impatience before playing along and submitting his attempt at puppy eyes. Flora deliberately avoided looking at him, choosing instead to divine the future in the oily remnants in the bottom of her bowl. Apparently she saw no prophecy of doom.

"Fine. It's not like we have a schedule to keep."

Paying for their meal, the pair left the shop and began the walk down Main Street towards the station. They had been living the big city life for a week now and knew their way well enough. Goldenrod had been what they had expected, full of people and life. After six evenings, though, they had decided enough was enough, and that it was time to get on their way. The taller noirette extracted a rectangular device the size of her palm from her pocket. A line of solar panels sat at the top, the rest of the space reserved for a monochrome display that now flickered to life. The Devon Wilderness Pokedex IV cut fancy cosmetics in favor of information and versatility. It was functional and durable, the perfect companion for a travelling trainer. Of course, 'dex sales had been plummeting for years and the low price reflected the lack of demand. Regardless, it was a piece of sophisticated tech, and Wodan shook his head when he saw it.

"Finding a nugget just lying in the grass like that . . . total bullshit."

"Whatever, man. You're just jealous."

"Doesn't mean it isn't bullshit."

* * *

Aboard the Magnet Train, they found a bench in a four-seat compartment. The train was clean, streamlined, and minimalistic. The benches were comfortable enough, though, forgiving blue velvet draped over cushions, and the walls were free of graffiti. Standing on Wodan's thigh, Grimfang peered through the window, her curiosity piqued. Kumar, on the other hand, quickly fell asleep draped across his trainer's lap. A crewman gave the final call for boarding and an elderly man with a cane hobbled into their car. He held himself high, for an older man, but his face and uncertain gait betrayed his age. He peered down the rest of the car before noticing the empty spot in their compartment. Unwilling to shuffle down the aisle to find another compartment, he opted to ease himself onto the cushioned seat across from the young pair. Despite their silent request that he not bother them, he immediately began to ramble.

"Ah, you two off on an adventure, eh? Good on you, kids. I did the same with Stripes, Arceus bless, many years ago. Built character, I says. Not many do it these days, though. Where are you too lovebirds off to?"

"Mount Silver, sir. Then to Kanto." Flora was forced to respond to the man, it would be rude not to . . . and Wodan had been too busy emulating a cheri berry to answer the question.

"Mount Silver, huh? You kids be careful out there, it's dangerous. Pokemon League used to keep greenhorns out of there, public safety and all . . . but they haven't had anyone posted out there in years. Kanto's pretty safe though. . . I think. . . ."

He trailed off, apparently lost in the sepia hues of his memories. Flora and Wodan shared a look of relief. The Magnet Train was immeasurably fast, but it couldn't have been fast enough if the old man had decided to keep talking. Then the man smiled and winked knowingly at Flora.

"I don't much like the looks of yer boy here, lassie. You be sure a pokemon's the only thing you catch out there."

The rest of the trip was rather awkward.

* * *

"I'm having second thoughts, Wodan. The 'dex says only the strongest wild pokemon in Johto survive here. I'm not sure Kuma and Grim can handle it."

The aforementioned pokemon were wrestling across the black survival wrap the trainers were using for a picnic blanket. The poochyena was stubbornly trying to wrest a piece of honey-glazed poultry from the claws of Kuma as their trainers discussed their day. Wodan considered the peak that seemed to touch the sky. It was a beautifully symmetrical cone, crested with snow. It was a beauty that concealed countless caverns and innumerable pokemon.

"I'll agree that most of these guys seem pretty tough, but if we're careful and persistent, I think we can find one we can handle. A strong pokemon from here could really make our trip a lot easier."

Here, the small ursine monster waddled over, a large, elliptical object of an ivory hue in its arms. He deposited the prize in Flora's lap and tilted his head, awaiting praise.

"Oh hey, Kuma," The young woman hefted the ovoid to eye level before realizing what it was. "Where'd you. . . where'd you get this?"

The trumpet of a very angry mother answered her inquiry. She came thundering up the path, clad in armored plates and leveling twin tusks at the kidnappers. Flora set the donphan egg down and snatched up the unwitting culprit before sprinting away, sliding into a dusty ravine. Wodan and Grimfang came tumbling down the slope soon after. The young travelers held still for several long moments as the donphan plodded up to the lip of the slope and snuffled around. Either she couldn't pinpoint their location, or the dramatic drop-off was too much for the lumbering behemoth. For either reason, she eventually turned away.

The small group remained there for several minutes, riding out the rush that had overtaken them in their brush with danger. Still aware that the mother donphan could be within earshot, Wodan jerked his head along the dry creek bed, and they began making their way upstream.

"Hey Wodan, do you see that?"

Wodan lifted his head. A small footbridge crossed the ravine; it would serve as an ideal place to get out of the ravine. But underneath, sifting through some large stones, was a small pokemon, likely the size as Kuma and Grimfang. It was a grey creature the shape of an egg, with a small horn atop its head. It turned towards the trainers and paused. Flora steadily drew her dex from its pocket and snapped a picture of it.

"The software says it's a larvitar. It doesn't _look_ too dangerous. Let's catch it!"

The dance commenced immediately. Even young, the rock type was too resilient for either pokemon, to defeat alone, but together the bear and hound wore it down. Wodan's pokeball was first, shaking twice before its indicator dimmed and confirmed the capture.

"Damn it, Wodan, he was mine!"

"Too bad, so sad!" was the juvenile response. Flora glared at him as he picked up the pokeball, concocting a response or argument of her own. She didn't come to a decision, instead hauling herself out of the ditch, dusting her jeans off, and storming off until she disappeared around a bend in the path.

"What the hell set her off?" Wodan grumbled to no one in particular. He took a seat on the side of the sun-drenched gravel path and pulled off his pack, digging around before extracting two aerosol canisters. First one and then the other, he placed the nozzle into an injector port. Fighting fit.

He was still sitting there minutes later when he heard an unmistakable scream. His bag forgotten, he was on his feet, sprinting towards the sound.

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! HOW COULD YOU-"

Wodan was out of breath by the time he turned the last corner and found the mouth of the caves. He heard no conversation, no yelling now, only the quiet whimper of a wounded pokemon, and a snuffling, grunting noise he couldn't identify. His eyes, accustomed to the stark sunlight, could only barely penetrate the shadowed cave. There was a large form inside, a broad man with a broader waist, hunched over _something_.

"Hey! What's going on?!" _Please just go away. Please just stop and leave._

"Fuck off, kid," the hiker murmured without turning around.

"I, uh, I asked what you were doing."

"Yeah, and I said 'fuck off'," the man finally turned around, snatching something off the ground and holding his belt with the other hand. _His holding his belt up_, Wodan realized, as the bright flash of a release brought a geodude out. The younger trainer immediately responded with his new larvitar. The pokemon didn't understand the situation, but it knew how to battle. The two pokemon hurled themselves at one another – to minimal effect.

"Hah, good luck kid. That's the toughest pokemon ever . . . now, back to business."

The geodude, tied up with the larvitar, couldn't move to protect its master. As Flora's attacker turned away, Grimfang was upon him, clamping down on the large man's calf. Wodan himself also slammed into the much larger man, who quickly lost balance. Struggling, the stranger managed to kick away the poochyena, provoking a barrage of Wodan's own kicks.

The man soon stopped fighting and covered his head. It was a pathetic sight, a man of his size curled in a ball with his pants around his ankles. As Wodan turned to Flora, Grimfang and the larvitar viciously converged on the geodude, quickly knocking it out. The two then dashed into a dark corner and dragged Kuma out from his hiding place. The bear could stand on its own, but walked with a significant limp.

Flora was not so lucky. She was unconscious and had been stripped of most of her clothes. What Wodan's eyes fixated on, however, was the trickle of blood running from her hairline. She was taller than he, and he struggled to throw her over his back. The effort wasted valuable seconds, and it felt an eternity to the worried teenager. Soon, though, he staggered out of the cave, with his friend on his back and their pokemon behind him.


End file.
